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It's time to get GLD rolling again!

So, for all intents and purposes, I died and I have came back to life.

Nothing pains me more to see this and see where we are today:

Even a fraction of that would be a start.
I was looking back through the archives of my screenshots and for fun checked to see how many of the old time players were on recently... and to my surprise, quite a few.
Something about that strikes something with me, like there is still an ember.

The past while I've just been working it up, thinking on how we can get this going again.. What got us to that point before?
Was it because I was able to afford descent advertising? Was it the relentless PMC postings? I don't really know.
What I do know is that I see a bunch of no-name, genericraft servers that have hundreds of players on, but what have they done?
Those genericraft servers may have the big numbers, but do they have a community? Probably not.

So, starting today, in this thread, I need YOUR input, and I need people to logically explain what needs to be done, and how it will help.
As I have said before, I will never let this die... (even if I die, the server will hopefully keep auto-renewing itself through my paypal... but I hope I don't die anytime soon!)

And SO, the revive begins.

Need:
-Staff re-organization, preferably all active staff or people who wish to be involved with the revive. (Skype, etc)
-User input on this thread on any major current issues. (Or use of the github issue list)
-A google doc page dedicated to investigation of other servers. (Where does their traffic come from, what is a key hook feature, etcetc)
-Did the server crash? Post your timezone and when it happened so I can look into it.

This is not a cheesy generic 'lets do dis' post, but a true LETS DO THIS POST.
I've waited this long because I was tired of disappointing people with false hope, I have the time, and there is no better time than now.
Let's figure out what it takes to get it done, there is always a way.

Thank you to everyone who has sent inspirational messages.

If you wish you join the Skype chat to discuss ideas, clickTHIS LINK
And if you wish to post an idea somewhere, post it at our TRACKER!

Last edited by Joannou1; 05-14-2015 at 05:04 AM.

Want to test this signature out? I made it! Unique to GLD.
It will automatically update when we make changes to it!

If GLD where to be fixed I want people to know its not going to look like "OLD GLD"....It is possible to get to the point where we can play on this server with lots of people like "Old GLD" so your never board and there is a strong community (Only thing that keeps me on this server is the community)

Servers are like businesses in many ways.

You have to spend money to make money. Even a little money can go a long way.
There has to be trust in the businesses for it to be successful.
The "product" of this businesses has to be good.

Ok so on to a list of GLD's endless problems.

1. is that the donor ranking system is way to complex. There is like what like 12 ranks that you can buy? If you go on to big servers most of them have very few ranks that the max is less then $150.
2. Like you said the staff system is way out of date. It was built for a very large staff team that we don't have at the moment. There are some slots empty (Head-Admin)
3.The entire rules need to be updated and simplified. The punishments for rules can get very confusing. This makes it hard for not only staff but is a turn off for new players when the rule page is a novel.
4. We need a new element that makes us really different from every other server.
5. Are build team is really bad. The people in the build team are really good at building don't get me wrong! There are just very few of them still playing and if we over work them they tend to not want build anymore.
6. The Dev team needs to be bigger.
7. Co-owner?
8. I know we need new players but having 5 warnings as the amount you get in order to get banned is kinda out of control. I have been on some very popular servers and they have 2 to 3 strikes type of things.
9.Map restart? Ok before you write a big thing like "If there is another map restart then I'm going to quit now!" or "The map restart is what killed GLD" I love are current map. I have tons of stuff I love and worked endless hours getting. I have tons of money that I WORKED for because I HAVE NEVER DONATED so yeah I really do care about the stuff I have gotten alot, but I care about the community of GLD more. We really only got one more chance of getting this server back on its feet and I think the best chance we have at that is getting a new map. Adding a bunch of different aspects to the game wile still keeping a few of the same old stuff to keep it GLD.
10. I like the idea of fixing the problem of the server crashing every time that guy named cbjax logs on.
11.Joan you got to show us that you really do still care about the server. You got to come on the server more and talk to random people face to face and hear what they want.
12.Yeah so I think at this point the only way that GLD is going to get back on its feet is a server restart and giving it a big makeover wile still keeping the soul of GLD in it. I think at this point we only got one shot left and we have to give it the best chance we can. Please excuse any mistakes its almost 1 A.M. on a school night and + I'm cbjax. That is it for now.

Okay. MAP RESET.
Fix all the stupid stuff.
Make donator ranks WAAAAYYYY less OP. No protlands, no unraidable chests etc. Give raiding a purpose. Encourage players to build towns to protect their stuff.
Add EVENTS: Fortnightly, Monthly, Yearly. People will come back for events - it's a good way to bump the server. I suggest custom dungeons - or even an RPG element.
GET RID OF THE HUB. Or start the servers, build their communities, then add them. It's no use connecting a server that has no players.
FORM A HUB WITH OTHER SERVERS. And don't be a dick about donation tax like that last hub we were a part of.

We've been having a massive discussion on what to do on this matter...
Almost all the solutions to the largest fundamental problems point to a complete reset with an overhaul of game mechanics.

1. Donor ranks will be re-done so that there will be half as many, but with more perks and reduced prices. Move it over to a 3 month subscription thing.
Also include free ranks that you can earn somehow ingame that are basically lesser versions of the paid ones.
Also less PVP based perks, (At least ones that will wind up putting the server back here).

2. Staff will definitely be reorganized to be a bit more simplistic, and will expand as needed.

3. I think the rules needs to be mostly redone, and re categorized. Stating the levels of punishments for the type of rule broken.
(Also less strict, some of these rules really don't warrant bans over, merely more kicks and warnings)

4. Elements that make us unique... Initially it was the pure desert, this is still an exciting thing for new players, but again, get scared off due to progress halts and whatnot.
We could add in more desert 'features' to increase the impressiveness, but that is up for debate/discussion.

5. If we decide to go through with the reset, we will no doubt need builders again. The current spawn is arguably laggy, something about it scares off new players due to the amount of walking and poor frames.
So with that said, we'll be opening up all sorts of apps to get the right people for the task.

6. Well first we need to define what a dev team is... A team that makes plugins? Cause we've never officially had a team that's done that. That would be cool though.

7. The whole co-owner concept was more novelty, with how many people are putting in their help now, it's hard to make any single person that.

8. May switch over to a point based warning system, depending on the offence you get more points.. So if it's something truly horrible, it's nearly an insta ban sort of thing.

9. Nine, possible the biggest point here. We've been thinking of every way to fix the current problem without resorting to this, but I don't think it can be done.
A full reset (Minus some grandfathering of ranks) may be what it takes to get it truly back to what it was before.
The previous reset didn't work well because we didn't change much in the gameplay department.
This time though, there will be an overhaul. It will piss off a lot of people, but ultimately be for the better if GLD is get back to where it was.
We will move the current map to our secondary server, set it to no-build, and allow everyone to fly around and stuff.

10. Yeah lol, that will be fixed shortly.

11. I've talked a lot about this in the Skype chat. I feel playing as a normal player with no abilities, then when I need to do something do it, but don't let that affect my gameplay as a normal player would be ideal.
I think that's why I didn't come on as much, because I didn't quite know how to integrate myself in as a normal player.
But yes, I will no doubt be on infinitely more than I was before.

12. A good closing point, and ultimately what IS going to be done, I don't think it's a question of IF, it is HOW. The WHEN is now.
We'll be making a public github issue list where people can post their ideas in a more organized fashion.

Thanks for your input!

Want to test this signature out? I made it! Unique to GLD.
It will automatically update when we make changes to it!

What kind of position? lol
general staff apps are to be determined, too early to tell at the moment.
But builders are welcome, we may open an app section for that

Originally Posted by XzJeremyzX

It would be 50/50, really.

It would either benefit us in the way that we'd attract new players if the server was completely fresh

or

It would just, as you said, make more players leave that already play.

Keep in mind, we'll still have the old map up and accessible separately. Maybe even moderately playable for a short while, just so it isn't a complete cut-off.
So that way the 50% that would have quit, maybe 25% stick around on the old one and transition over.